More than 750,000 people have died since 1999 from a drug overdose. Two out of three drug overdose deaths in 2018 involved an opioid. Opioids are substances that work in the nervous system of the body or in specific receptors in the brain to reduce the intensity of pain. Overdose deaths involving opioids, including prescription opioids, heroin, and synthetic opioids (like fentanyl), have increased almost six times since 1999. Overdoses involving opioids killed nearly 47,000 people in 2018, and 32% of those deaths involved prescription opioids.

The increase in opioid overdoses in 2017-2019 began to catch the attention of the media as communities across our nation saw deaths in the streets of even the most rural areas of our nation. This led to a deeper look of how doctors prescribe opioids and a realization of the terrible need for recovery.

Illicitly manufactured fentanyls, heroin, cocaine, or methamphetamine (alone or in combination) were involved in nearly 85% of drug overdose deaths in 24 states and the District of Columbia during January–June 2019.

In October 2017, President Trump declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency. In response to this declaration RU Recovery Ministries implemented a new initiative called Faith-Based Recovery For America®. We are committed to seeing Faith-Based Recovery options become available to addicts and their families across this great nation.